Tackling Water and Public Health Challenges through Participatory Theatre Methodologies: The Iheakpu-Awka Enugu State, Nigeria Example

Abstract Theatre has been identified as a powerful instrument of change for preventive medicine as a practical communication tool; various development agencies, United Nations bodies, and Aid groups have used theatre for development strategies to encourage communities to act and take responsibility for continued government insensitivity and irresponsibility in rural communities. This paper analyzes the applied theatre methodologies, including participatory research and action (PRA) and Theatre for Development (TfD) strategies, deployed in the Iheakpu-Awka community in the Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area, Enugu State, Nigeria, to address issues of health occasioned by a lack of water and poor health management facilities. The intervention is premised upon the bedrock of participation, which is considered the most critical factor for sustainable change and development. Anchored on health humanities and TfD as theoretical paradigms, the paper argues for communal dialogue and collective efforts toward the provision of safe potable water and medical care.